(a) What is a habitat?
(b) Describe the energy flow in a freshwater habitat.
(c) List (i) three biotic factors; (ii) five abiotic factors which affect plants in freshwater habitat.
Explanation
(a) A habitat is a type of environment/a place/an area, in which plants and animals/organisms live or an area/place/ environment; occupied by a biotic community/organisms
(b) Energy flow in freshwater habitat is as follows:
(i) energy from sun/radiant energy/solar energy is received.
(ii) It is then absorbed/trapped by green plants/algae/ phytoplanking (of fresh water/pond/stream/river etc)
(iii) This is used in photosynthesis/to synthesize/manufacture organic substances
(iv) Zooplankion/fish/animals of the pond would now depend or feed on the green plants for food
(v) The feeding is direct if they are herbivores as the plants are eaten by herbivores (vi) The feeding is indirect if they are carnivores as herbivores are eaten by carnivores
(vii) when plants or animals/organisms die or when animals discharge their droppings/wastes, they are decomposed via the action of saprophytes/fungi/bacteria decomposers/ micro-organisms
(viii) By sodaing, energy is lost
(c)(i) Biotic Factors;
(a) plants/producers
(b) animals/consumers
(c) parasites
(d) decomposers/saprophytes/micro-organisms
(e) predators
(ii) Abiotic Factors;
(a) temperature
(b) sunlight/light
(c) wind
(d) inorganic compounds
(e) turbidity/suspended particles/transparency
(f) topography
(g) dissolved oxygen
(h) pH/dissolved CO2 (i) water currents/currents (i) rainfall/precipitation